Perplexed, Hall hurriedly finished the taping as he mentally reviewed his previous few days for any personal lapses.

"I was wondering what is he yelling for?" Hall said. "'Dang, what happened? I haven't done anything bad.' I finished getting taped and ran over there, and he said for me to get in there first."

And, voila, Hall, who came to Troy just this summer and who was listed as a third-stringer just last week, learned he's now a starter for the Trojans.

"I'm happy for Tray Hall. I'm happy for us that Tray Hall is here," coach Larry Blakeney said. "It was pretty obvious he had a chance to be one when we evaluated him, and after I met him and saw what kind of guy he is, that made you want to pull for him a little bit.

"He's done the rest."

Troy attributes Hall's quick ascension to his performance in the first two games. The Trojans (0-3) play their third at home Saturday against Abilene Christian.

Hall, who drew preseason attention due to his famous bloodlines, broke up two passes last weekend against Duke when he handled much of the load against star receiver Jamison Crowder. Crowder had seven catches but only for 70 yards.

"He deserves it," receiver Chandler Worthy said. "I was one of the guys he competed with a lot when he first came in. I don't know who taught him, but he came in pretty well with nice feet."

On the first day of 7-on-7 workouts, they assigned Hall to cover speedy receiver Bryan Holmes on a play. Satisfied with Hall's performance, they put him on the speedier Worthy — the very next snap.

Well before they learned rap megastar Snoop Dogg is Hall's uncle, the Trojans were already impressed with Hall.

"Ever since Tray stepped foot on campus, he's been hungry," Wilson said. "You want a guy like that who's constantly making plays, making interceptions."

Hall's mom, he said, won't witness her son's first career start Saturday.

Hall said she was excited when he told her Sunday that he was now a first-stringer, but she's keeping to her schedule. After coming to see Duke, she's supposed to return for the Oct. 11 home game against New Mexico State.

"You know those plane tickets from California to out here," Hall said. "That's a lot of money."

Troy is left to decide what snippet of a Snoop Dogg to use when Hall makes a nice play against Abilene Christian. A little "bow wow wow yippee yo yippee yay" may be appropriate.